Clayton Craddock’s drumming career spans decades and numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals. He’s currently the drummer of the Broadway Show Ain’t Too Proud-The Life And Times Of the Temptations.
Clayton has held the drum chair for several hit broadway and off-broadway musicals, including “Tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, and Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar and Grill. He has also performed in the musicals Footloose, (2000-2001 tour), Motown, The Color Purple, Rent, Little Shop of Horrors, Spongebob Squarepants, Bare, Evita, Cats, and Avenue Q.
In this episode, Clayton talks about his journey from Manchester, CT to becoming a full-time professional musician.
He earned his bachelor’s in business administration from Howard University in Washington, D.C., managed record stores by day after college, and began to immerse himself in the local music scene by night as a drummer for blues and rock bands.
In 1993, Clayton took a leap of faith and moved to New York City to pursue a career in music.
In this podcast, you’ll hear more of his story. You’ll learn about:
*The development and upward trajectory of Ain’t Too Proud.
*The process of launching a musical from the conception and initial workshopping to the full production.
*Learning the vocabulary of choreographers to understand what they want from a drummer.
*Emulating Benny Benjamin and other drummers who were part of The Funk Brothers, Motown’s “Wrecking Crew.”
*Taking low money for workshops and readings in hopes that you can get in on the ground floor of something big.
*The many shows he’s played for over the years, either on a permanent or sub basis
The role of the Musicians Union in New York and the musical theatre scene.
*His experience at Howard University in Washington DC.
*His white-collar career after college, and making the transition to full time drumming.
*How building your network is constructing your own safety net.
Listen to it HERE: